The Dead Rabbit
The bar's own drink: Irish malt, vermouth, Chartreuse and a heavy dose of Orinoco
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ozIrish Single MaltA soft single malt; the bar uses a twelve-year-old
- 1 1/2 ozSweet VermouthEqual to the whiskey, and a light red one
- 4 dashesOrinoco BittersThe bottle this drink was built aroundSubstitute: Angostura, which the bar names as the substitute
- 2 dashesOrange BittersThe recipe says orange bitters without naming a brandSubstitute: Any orange bitters
- 1/2 ozGreen ChartreuseDoing a lot for the amount
- 2 dashesAbsintheDashed in, not rinsed
Instructions
- Add 1 1/2 oz Irish single malt, 1 1/2 oz sweet vermouth, 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse, 4 dashes Orinoco bitters, 2 dashes orange bitters and 2 dashes absinthe to a mixing glass
- Fill with ice and stir until cold
- Strain into a chilled coupe
- Express an orange twist over the surface and discard it
Discard it; the drink has enough oil in it already
Technique Notes
Discard the twist after expressing it. One serving already carries four dashes of aromatic bitters, two of absinthe and half an ounce of Chartreuse; leaving a strip of peel in the glass keeps adding oil to something that has quite enough going on.
Why the The Dead Rabbit Works
Four dashes per serving is a lot of aromatic bitters for a stirred drink, and it works because Chartreuse and absinthe are pulling in the same herbal direction rather than against it. The vermouth is there to give all three something sweet to sit on.